In the following interview, Michael Lunden, broker/owner with Sellstate Realty Pros in Greenwood Village, Colo., discusses the benefits of the Sellstate model.
Region Served: The south metro area of Colorado
Years in Real Estate: 20
Number of Offices: 1, with 2 slated to open this summer
Number of Agents: 30
What is it about the Sellstate model that truly attracted you to join the brand?
While Sellstate Realty Pros opened in February 2014, I’ve been with Sellstate for just over six years, and I’d have to say that a little bit of everything went into my decision to join the brand. From their training and technology to the culture within the Colorado region and their good commission splits, Sellstate is unique in that it is truly a broker-centric organization that at the same time can also be viewed as agent-centric. There’s no pressure to fit into a specific model, but rather, it’s all about the individual.
What are some of the main things that differentiate Sellstate—and Sellstate Realty Pros specifically—from the competition?
In addition to the areas mentioned above, Sellstate’s partnership with Homes.com is instrumental when it comes to setting the brand apart. Striving to provide valuable tools and resources that help real estate professionals successfully grow their business, the Sellstate Power Suite—a branded version of the Homes Connect marketing platform with other additional benefits—is a big draw for agents. The most complete and comprehensive technology offering, the system allows agents to remain in control of their business whether they’re in the office or out in the field. Drilling down even further, the culture within our office is another key point of differentiation. Our office culture centers on the premise of everyone being there to help one another, from experienced agents all the way down to those just beginning their real estate careers. We also offer an online school for agents interested in getting their license, in addition to a continuing education online training center that can accommodate 50 people at any given time. We’re truly a well-rounded office. In fact, this particular office provides the majority of the marketing tools for the entire Colorado region. Not only have we created presentation folders customized with the partners that work within the Sellstate offices, but also we’ve printed and distributed them to the other offices in the area in order to build the brand within the Colorado region.
From your perspective as broker/owner, what are you most proud of?
My office has produced the Colorado Rookie of the Year every full year we’ve been in business. Not only did we have the Rookie of the Region, but these agents were also silver award winners their rookie years before moving on to be platinum award winners the next year. I’m also proud of our involvement within the community. Not only do all the offices within the region donate funds to a local food bank, but we’re also in the process of working with our local Dress for Success chapter, an organization that empowers women to achieve economic independence. And lastly, I’m extremely proud of the individuals that make up my Board of Advisors. When putting together the team, which includes Beth Anne Demeter, Jordan Kump, Tawn Miller, Matt Sumner, Angela Tyus and Jenna Osborne, I was very focused on selecting individuals that would bring a specific task to the table.
In what ways do clients benefit by working with a Sellstate real estate professional?
Clients benefit through our belief in providing a full-service experience and the fact that we build a relationship with the client, rather than simply focusing on the transaction. That being said, when a client comes in, we work directly with them to ensure that they’re qualified. If their credit needs to be repaired, we have an individual on our team that they can work with and stay in constant contact with until they’re ready to buy. From there, the client is connected with an agent who can guide them through the process. Our partnerships with title companies, lenders, home warranty providers and inspection companies are yet another way we show clients that they’re fully partnered with us.
Please describe the training/education provided to your agents.
We’re a little bit unique in that our agents are required to do training with us. In fact, we partnered with a Denver-based real estate school that’s been around for 25 years so that agents can complete the 168-hour licensing course online. In addition, we provide a two-hour test prep class every Saturday. Not only does this give agents the opportunity to come in and get their questions answered, but also it gets them ingrained in the company culture from the get-go. Once an agent is licensed, we have our own site they can visit for continuing education. And last, but not least, we partnered with a local doctor to come in every week for health and wellness Monday. By carving out time for yoga, meditation and workplace stretching, we’re making sure our agents are happy and healthy.
Looking ahead, what’s on the horizon?
As we make our way through 2017, I’m most excited about opening our two new offices. While I can’t go into specifics, we’re looking at different office styles that are more modern in appearance than the typical brick and mortar buildings of the past.
For more information, please visit www.sellstaterealty.com.
Paige Tepping is RISMedia’s managing editor. Email her your real estate news ideas at paige@rismedia.com.
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